Knitting machine



Nov. 20, 1928. r

A. E. PAGE KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 8, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 NVVEINTOR. ALBERT E.PAGE

by his aZZorn eye Nov. 20, 1928.

A. E. PAGE KNITTING MACHINE Filed April 8. 1927 Z'Sheets-Sheet 2 1N VIZNTOR. ALBERT E. PAGE by his aZ'Zarn eya Patented Nov. 20, 1928.

UNITED STATES ALBERT E. PAGE, OF' BROOKLYN, NEN' YORK, ASSIGNOR TO SCOTT &- WILLIAMS, IN

PATENT oFFicE.

CORPORATED, on NEW YORK, is. Y., A. CORPORATION on MASSACHUSETTS xnrr'rme MACHINE;

Application filed April 8,

This invention relates to circular knitting machines adapted to make seamless hosiery and more particularly to the means for controlling the switch cam and the widening I picker. One object of my invention ].S to provide a machine whichwill produce a, more acceptable seamless stocking than those now made. Another object of my invention s to produce a machine which can give the switch 10 cam and picker a great variety of movements. Still another object of the invention is to produce a machine which can cause these manipulations without using additional space on the pattern elements of the machine.

16 In, a, machine made according to my invention the switch cam can get one of its movements from the sinker cam cap.

For the purposes of illustration Twill show and describe my invention embodied in the 20 well known Scott & WVilliams type of automatic hosiery machine and the machine will beadj'usted to make a stocking having a tapered segment between the sole and toe with its points at the inner ends of the diagonal sutures. The present invention is an. improvement on, the patent granted to me on Decem-- ber 21, 1926 under the Number 1,611,668.

In the drawings: 7

Fig. 1 is an elevation from the front of the machine showing the switch cam and ltS control elements made according to my lll vention;

Fig. 2 is an elevation on a slightly smaller scale from the right side of the machine,

showing the mechanism operating the vertical gravity rod; f

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the table of the machine corresponding to Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a'diagram of the circle of needle 40 butts in a machine making the stocking shown in Fig 5; while 7 1 Fig. 5 is a representation of the foot of one formof stocking made-on a machine constructed according to my invention.

In the Scott'& Williams seamlessohosiery machine there is the usual revolving needle cylinder 260 mounted in the bedplate B and the sinker cam cap 300 mounted on the nee- (lle cylinder. The needles move vertically 123, and 121.

1927. Serial No. 182,130.

in slots in the needle cylinder under theinfluence of cams acting on their butts. In the drawings I have shown a half circle of needles n having long butts, a short segment of needles n with medium butts at each end of the half circle of long butt needles and the balance of the needles a with short butts.

My invention concerns the switch cam 415 which throws into and out of action, groups of such needles as are temporarily not needed and the widening picker 680 to pick needles back into action. The switch cam 415 isinounted in a bracket 411 on the bedplate B by means oi an actuating spindle 410 lying in the bracket 411. There is a cam or roller slot 412 in the bracket in which lies a screw 413 projecting from the periphery of spindle 410 having a roll thereon. The slot 412 so shaped that when the switch cam is turned upward the screw 413 forces the spindle and switch cam toward the needle butts, but the slot does not prevent limited rotary movement in that forward position. For the purpose of turning the spindle 410 c0llar408 is mounted onthe rear endof-tl-iespindle.

insuch a manner that part of the collar over-v lies a vertical gravity rod 216, passing down through an opening in the bedplate B to one endott' a lever 215 pivoted on a stud 12.4

projecting from the frame of the machine. The other end of this lever 215 pro ects into the path of cams 510, 509, 508, 507mm 506 on the'usual main pattern drum 120. There is a tension spring 217 attached to the lower end of the gravity rod 216 tending to hold it in its lowermost position and to keep the lever 215 in contact with the drum cams. The main pattern drum 120 is racked around intermittently in time with a rack wheel 81 l by a pawl 82 controlled by the lugs on'the usual pattern chain (not shown) in the usual manner as set forth in thepatent to Robert W. Scott, Number 1,152,850. The movements of the rack wheel 81 aretransmittedto the main pattern drum 120 by gears 122,

Returning now to the details-of theswitcli cam, there is a spring414 stretched between the bracket 411 and the switch cam itself, which tends both to keep the cam in its down position and also tends to keep it retracted as far as possible from the needle butts. This fully retracted position is determined by a horizontal set screw 229 in a stop post 226 mounted on the bed plate 13 justin back of the free end of the switch cam. This step post is so located that it partly underlies the switch cam and serves to determine the exact vertical position of the switch cam when in its down position. The set screw 229 is so adjusted that when the cam is retracted until it rests against the screw, the cam lies in the path of only the long butt needles n. r

a screw 224.. There is a spring 225 tending to hold the trigger down against the stop 230 on the switch cam bracket 411 in which position.

the tip 223 lies in the path of the switch ram.

The adjustment of the trigger and its tip with relation to the switch cam is such that when the cam rests against the end oi the tip it lies in the path not only of the lon butt needles n but also the medium butt needles a If desired, the trigger may have a tail underlyinga horizontal pin 228 in the usual dropper. linger 218 on the gravity rod 216 as set forth in the Page Patent 1,611,668.

i As is customary in the Scott 8: Williams type of machine, (see the Robert W. Scott Patent 1,152,850 dated September 7, 1915),

the gravity rod 216 also operates the dropper or Widening picker 680 (Fig. 3) by means of a dropper finger 218 fixed above the bedplate B on the gravity rod. Thus a single cam-controlled means isnsed to control both the widening picker and the switch cam.

The ordinary method of knitting a seamless stocking from top to tee is to produce tubular web by roundand-round knitting upon the needles until the point is reached at which the heel is to be produced. A switch cam is then introduced into the path of the needles having high butts, i. a, the half of the circle ofrneedles corresponding to the instep portion-0f the stocking, and these high butt needles ride up over the switch cam completely out-of action although retaining their loops. Reciprocating knitting is then conducted upon the remaining needles with alternate narrowing and widening of the wehcaused by the: usual narrowing and widening pickers, the effect of this action being to produce the r usual seamless heel pocket having tapered webs unitedon each side by a diagonal suture. As soon as the heel has been completed, the switch cam is swung upwardly and inwardly to bring down into action again all those needles which have been idle during the knitting of the heel pocket, and thereafter round-andround knitting is resumed for the production mechanism which has already been described makes it possible to raise either the instep needles n alone orthe instep needles n and the medium butt needles 11- but it does not provide means for making the widening picker eiiective immediately thereafter or not as desired. It will be observed that the means which are now to be described make it possible not only to operate the widening picker inthe usual manner but also to operate the widening picker by itself on any desiredsegment of needles.

ciprocation or reverse stroke of the cylinder to begin to pick those needles back into action,

as in the formation of a segment of fabric 6--8-9-7 such as shown in Fig. 5it is necessary immediately after the needles are raised that the switch cam 415 be withdrawn from contact with the but-tsof the needles which are to be icked down into action again,

and also the wi ening picker must befleft in its active position in the upper path. The gravity rod 216 cannot serve this purpose because when it is lowered far enough to trip the trigger 221 the widening-picker is lowered out of the upper path of'theneedle butts. I have ings this means is shown as consisting of a trip wire 321 adjustably mounted in a hold down 0 clamp318 by a set screw 320, the hold down clamp having its usual function ofhelping to hold the sinker bed 295 and thesinker cap 300 together. 'Thehold down clamp is held in a vertical slot in the sinkercap 300 by means of a screw 319. This wire is bent in such a up the usual lost motion between the lugs 304 of the heelpocket is now formed.

and'the vertical post 400, pushes outwardly against the upright arm 323 of the trip 221 and trips the trigger. The gravity not having dropped low enough to pull the-widening picker out of the upper needle butt path, the picker at once starts picking down the needles without the needles being raised again by the switch-cam.

Having described one embodiment of my invention, its operation will now be descr bed. During the knitting of the welt, leg and anklc, the switch cam lever 215 is on the high drum cam 510, the gravity rod at its highest point, the switch cam turned upwardly and the widening picker in the upper needle butt path. There having been no needle butts in the upper path since the completion of the laststocking, the switch cam and the widening picker have been idle. lVhen it is time to begin reciprocating knitting for the formation of the heel pocket the pattern chain permits the pawl 82 to fall into the tooth l in the rack wheel 81 (Fig. 2). This turns the main patterndrum 120 through the are 1, dropping the switch cam lever 215 to the surface of the main pattern drum and lowering the gravity rod to its lowest point. This causes the switch cam 4115 to be lowered and the trigger 221 to be tripped by the pin 228, thus permitting the spring 114: to fully retract the switch cam. until it engages against the screw 229 in the stop post 226. In this position the switch cam raises only the long butt needles n which correspond to the instep of the stock ing being knit. Simultaneously with the lowering and retraction of the switch cam the gravity rod 216 pulled the widening picker 680 down to an intern'iediate idle position where the'butt-s of the instep needles n will pass above it. At the completion of the nar-' rowed web of the heel pocket the pawl 82 is permitted to drop into the tooth 2' in the rack wheel 81 which turns the pattern drum through the are 2, lifting the switch cam lever 215 on to the medium height drum cam 509. This raises the dropper finger 218 until the dropper 680 is returned to the upper path, but the mov'ementis not great enough to raise the switch cam. The widened web The heel can be formed on the short butt needles n alone, if desired, by merely taking the pin 228 oil? the collar of the dropper finger 218.

In this case the lowering of the gravity rod toits lowest position at the beginning of the heel'does not trip the trigger 221 and the medium butt needles n are raised out of action with the long butt or instep needles n. The next tooth on the rack wheel carries the switch cam lever on to thehigh cam 508 which raises the switch cam and lowers into action all the needles remaining in the upper path. The foot of the stocking can be formed in the usual manner until it is time to form the tapered segment 68 9-7. At this point the pawl 82 is allowed to drop into the tooth 3 which carries the pattern drum 120 through the are 3 and brings the switch cam lever 215 down on to the. medium drum cal-n 507. The parts arenow in the positions shown in Figs. 1 and of the drawings. The switch cam is then raising the long butt needles'n and the medium butt needles'n The widen-- ing picker 680 lies in the upper path and as reciprocatm'n commences it begins to pick back into action the medium butt needles a? at each end of the group of idle needles. In order to prevent the switch cam from raising the needles n out of action as fast as the Widening picker lowers them into action, the

trip 321 engages the upright arm'323 of the rowed web of the regular toe pocket, the dropper 680 going back into action for the tori'nation of the widened web of the regular toe pocket, when the pawl engages the tooth 5. This rack turns the drum 120 through the are 5 and raises the switch cam lever 215 on to the surface of the medium drum cam 506. hen the widened web is completed, the pawl engages the tooth 6, and racks the pattern drum 120 through the are 6, thus lifting the gravity rod and raising the switch cam to bring all the remaining inactive needles down into action.

It will benoted that the switch cam not only has two inward positions but two tripping means, one operated at any desired time and the other upon reverse or back stroke during the reciprocating knitting. In the example just given oneof these tripping means is used, on the forward stroke just before hegii'ining' reciprocation, and the other on the iirst back stroke after reciprocation has he 2-; v K It will be obvious that the manipulations or the switch cam and widening picker can be caused in any desired manner and special segm entsof fabric made by reciprocating knitting inserted at any desired point in the stocking. Other variations will readily ocour to those'skilled in the art, which do not depart from the scope of my invention.

hat I claim is: v 1. In a knitting machine, a switch cam adapted to raise and lower the needles, a widening picker and cam-controlled means adapted to control said widening picker and said switch cam, in combination with means llil moved by a change of direction in the knitting adapted to give said switch cam one of its movements. v

2.1n a knitting machine, a switch cam adapted to raise and lower the needles, a widening picker and camcontrolled means adapted to control said widening picker and switch cam, in combination with trigger means adapted to hold said cam in a partially retracted position and means moved by a change of direction in the knitting to trip said trigger means. 7

3. In a circular knitting machine a switch camadapted to raise and lower needles and trigger means adapted to hold said switch cam in one retracted position, in combination with two tripping means for said trigger means, one of said tripping meansbeing actuated by a reverse reciprocation of the needle c linder.

4. n. a knitting machine, a switch cam adapted to raise and lower the needles, and trigger means adapted to hold said switch cam in one retracted position in combination with a sinker cam cap and means operated by the rotary lost motion of said cap to trip said trigger means.

5. In a knitting machine, a switch cam adapted to raise and lower needles, a trigger adapted to hold said switch cam in one retracted )osition, and a longitudinally movable rod adapted to move the switch cam radially and rotatably and to trip said trigger, a sinker cam cap and a trip for said trigger operated by the rotary lost motion of said sinker cap on the first reciprocation after the trigger is set.

6. In a circular knitting machine havin a sinker cam cap, a switch cam to raise an lower needles, a trigger adapted to hold said camin a partially retracted position, and a single cam-controlled means adapted to simultaneously move said picker and trip said trigger, in combination with a trip for said trigger operated by the rotary lost'motion of the sinker cap. a V

7. In a knitting machine a switch cam adapted to raise and lower the needles, a widening picker and a singlecam-controlled means adapted to control said widenin picker and switch cam, in combinationwit '1 trigger means adapted to hold said switch camin a partially retracted position, a sinker cap and means mounted thereon adapted upon the first change in directlon of the knitting after the trigger means are set to trip said trigger means, said cam-controlled means also being adapted to trip said trigger means.

8. In a knitting machine a widening picker, a switch cam to raise and lower needles and a single cam-controlled means adapted to put said widening picker into and out of operative position and to advance and retract said switch cam, said cam controlled means including a spring tending to retract said switch cam in combination with trigger means adapted to hold said switch cam in a. partially retracted position, a sinker cam cap and means on said cap adapted to trip said trigger means on the first reverse reciprocation of the machine after the trigger is set. 9. In a circular knitting machine, a switch cam adapted to raise andlower needles, a longitudinally movable rod adapted to move the cam toward the needles and raise same, spring means tending to retract and lower said cam and trigger means adapted to hold said cam in a partially retracted position, in combination with a sinker cam cap and means adapted to be operated by rotary lost motion of said sinker cap to trip said trigger means when set.

10. In a knitting machine, a movable switch cam adapted to raise and lower needles, in combination with means, independent of the needles, actuated by a change in the direction of motion of the needle cylinder, adapted to give said switch cam a movement.

11. In a knitting machine having a sinker cam cap, a switch cam adapted to raise and lower needles, in combination with trigger means for said switch cam and a trip fixed on said cap adapted .to trip said trigger means upon movement of said cap.

12. In a circular knitting machine having a sinker cam cap, a switch cam adapted to raise and lower needles, in combination with trigger means adapted to hold said cam in one position and a tri on said cap adapted to operate said switc cam when the cap first takes up its rotary lost motion in the reverse direction. i p y 13. Ina knitting machine, a movable switch cam adapted to raiseand lower, nee- I dles, in combination with sinker cam cap means adapted upon change in direction of motion of saidcap to movesaid switch cam. In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

'. ALBERT E. PAGE; 

